Man Utd move in as Real Madrid go cold on Arsenal

By European Football
December 18 2004

Real Madrid are losing interest quickly in Arsenal Star Edu. What they are willing to pay him and what he is asking for seem poles apart and they are set to switch their attentions elsewhere in the search for new talent. But the fact that he is available on a free shortly has alerted a host of other clubs not least of them Barcelona and Manchester United, and Manchester seams the players first choice as he told the daily mail: "It doesn't make me worried to play in England for another club.

"If I see that it will be important for my future as a footballer, then I'm going.

"Barcelona is a fantastic club. If you ask me about Madrid and Valencia and Manchester they are all fantastic clubs.

"When the moment comes I have to be careful to make the right decision.

"Arsenal have made me think a lot. If they offer another contract to me now they have to convince me that they really want me to stay.

"If they wanted me to stay they should have signed me before, why have they left it until January?

"It's no longer simple like it was. I thought it was going to be easy but now it will be more difficult."

He added: "I've been very honest in the negotiations.

"I said, 'I don't want the biggest money here. But I don't want the money I've been earning, I just want to be in the middle'.

"It's up to them to pay me or not.

"I have a contract until May, if Arsenal play me or not is up to Arsene Wenger, not me.

"I can tell you 100 percent that I will be training, I will be doing everything to push myself. After that is not my problem.

"Of course I'd like to play but if he says no, what can I do?

"It's the same as if they want to sell me to another club. If I say no, they cannot sell me to them."

Bookmark or share this story with: